Of Memories and Hyenas
by Nate The Ape
Summary: A little two chapter story, focusing on both Englehorn and Jimmy, with the story's spirit veering towards the latter. Contains an exciting moment in each man's life, and an OC to boot. Have fun.
1. Chapter 1

This is a short little story about Englehorn and Jimmy for all the fans out there. It takes place 2-3 years before the events in Kong, when Jimmy would be approx. 16-17 years old and still somewhat new to sailing life. It's not slash in the least-those storiesare interesting, but I could never pull one off in a hundred years-, but is a vauge intertwining, focusing onan especially exciting memory in each man's life. There's one or two D-words in here, and one non-human drinking connection, but that's it. Best of all for you fangirls, there's even an impromptu shirtless scene with Englehorn! Colin is an original character of mine.

Disclaimer: Although I'd dearly like to take the credit for such an amazing work, King Kong belongs to Peter Jackson, Universal, and Weta. They have huge dinosaurs, giant bugs, and an elephant-sized gorilla to get thier point across, so who am I to argue?

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Jimmy's First Carnivore Capture.

In the turquoise blue waters of Dar es Salaam's harbor, the Venture loomed over the dhows, canoes, yachts, and other lesser vessels as she stood at anchor parallel to a loading dock. East Indian, Swahili, and European men alike swarmed around the ship in a diverse mixture of heights and skin colors as cargo was loaded onboard with the ship's massive block and tackle.

Some of it was inanimate in nature of course, goods ranging from the diamonds and silver dug out of Tanganika's legendary mines, to coffee and cotton grown on the vast colonial-administered plantations, to ebony, that sleek, raven-black wood from the inland forests.

The Venture's crew through, unofficially specialized in animal transport, and the first of this living cargo was being loaded on deck right now. As Captain Englehorn bellowed out orders to both port staff and crewmembers alike in a voice worthy of the male lions they'd captured, Jimmy stood on the sunlit deck, rushing forward to each crate every time Mr. Hayes gently placed it down with the colossal machine. Working with another crewman, an East Indian man named Devapasha, he helped detach the slings, nets, and chains from the crates and cages as they came to rest.

Like most people who work closely with animals, Jimmy understandably always bonded with the captives, getting to know them utterly and intimately as individuals. And despite Mr. Hayes' warnings that as touching as it was, giving the animals names would only set him up for heartbreak if they died on the way or when they were offloaded at their new homes, he couldn't help but chronically go against that advice.

Besides, all the others, even Mr. Englehorn, did the same sooner or later. Captain and Choy even teased him playfully about being the ship's "Official Animal Namer." Mr. Hayes himself had asked the boy once if he wanted some water to baptize each beast with, trying and failing to keep a straight face.

And as each crate fluttered down on deck, the moniker Jimmy had already given to each animal came unspoken into his mind, along with the daring memories of its capture. First there was Nefertari, the leopardess, growling in agitation and pushing against the sides of her iron cage as Nathan and Natalie, her fox terrier sized cubs mewed in fear. They'd caught her in a simple box trap baited with two guinea fowl, and her cubs, refusing to leave their mom's side, were easy enough to run down and grab. Looking at her spotted form, Jimmy had thought she looked so graceful and royal, and recalling the beautiful tomb he'd heard about in Egypt's Valley of the Queens, promptly named her after Ramesses II's wife.

Next came Ahab, the huge rock python, thicker than a man's thigh and staring off into space with his dull, stupid brown eyes. He'd been tracked to a marsh where the Venture's men had found him soaking happily. In an epic struggle, four men had gone for and wrestled with the huge serpent in the water, Englehorn himself grabbing Ahab behind the head and braving those saw-blade teeth. Snakes didn't thrive in the dark of a ship's hold, so later the big guy would be transferred to a special box with a glass top, and then be put on the deck to enjoy the warm sun.

Jimmy knew Ahab wouldn't be lonely, for the next crate housed another python, dubbed Gigantic Goldie. And she'd been even bigger when he'd first laid eyes on her, for a native man had come to them saying in excitement that he'd just seen a python catch a half-grown wildebeest calf only a few miles away. Upon arriving, the snake was just finishing swallowing the hindquarters of the calf, her jaws as wide as anything. They'd actually had to roll the engorged reptile into a net to carry back to camp.

Grinning at the memory, Jimmy wondered how much Goldie's new master would sensationalize the circumstances of her last meal. Most of these animals were headed to a circus menagerie in Kentucky, whose owner planned to show them as "The Most Savage Beasts of the Dark Continent," no doubt getting a lot of excited attention from curious and fearful spectators.

A male leopard, snarling like a demon in rage, was next in line. He had been a very wily animal to try to trap, and twice had even escaped soon after being caught in one. When they did finally take him captive, the cat put up a real fight, and they'd had to use the chloroform. His resistance recalled that of a famous Apache chief, and so the leopard was dubbed Geronimo.

Then came Cassie and Crystal in their separate cages. The two lioness sisters had, in a stroke of luck, both fallen into the same pit trap, tempted by half a goat hanging above the screen of grass and branches. After that, it had been a simple matter of pouring in some chloroform, and each growling, hissing lioness had soon gone limp.

Even better, it was suspected that Crystal was pregnant, and it would sure be wonderful if she bore cubs on the trip back, Jimmy thought. Lion cubs were perhaps the cutest things in existence, and Mr. Mills would likely also give them a cash bonus on learning of the surprise.

A whole bunch of baboons arrived on deck in quick succession, two adults in each crate, barking and screeching in indignation. "What the devil is this all about?" they all seemed to be saying. There was Heath, Fred, Jake, Dan, Big Guy, Bad Baboon, Ron, and Pete as the males. And there were even more females and babies, Lady Gray, Mary, Jane, Denise, Eva, Rebecca, Barbara, Rachel, Matt, Baby, Lady Cynthia, the Little Princess, Gene, Dave, Goblin, Lucy-even he couldn't remember them all!

These huge monkeys had been ridiculously easy to capture. Like people, baboons enjoy alcoholic beverages, especially rum. So they'd found a tree where the baboons were feeding, put a vat under it, filled it two-thirds full of rum, and left. When the troop cautiously tried it in the crew's absence, they'd liked it-and liked it _wayyy _too much. As expected, Jimmy, Hayes, Lumpy, Englehorn, and the rest of the Venture's crew found a lot of intoxicated baboons when they came back, and picking them up was no problem at all.

Suddenly, even before the crate was visible, came a demented, cackling giggle from the dock. Jimmy's eyes widened, and involuntarily, he turned hesitatingly to gaze at the block and tackle. Mr. Hayes' brown eyes met Jimmy's blue ones, filled with a mixture of pride and nervousness. The first mate understood why very well, and nodded as the female spotted hyena, still cackling like a witch in agitation, swung towards the Venture's deck. That was Mrs. Stink, and did Jimmy know her well. God, did he know her well….

_Ten days ago…_

In the huge tramp steamer, half the crew was safely residing below the Venture's decks, guarding the cargo from thieves, making sure no one tried to stow away onboard, checking the condition of the ship's machinery, eating whatever passed as a meal in Lumpy's eyes, or just relaxing.

Capitan Englehorn though, accompanied by Hayes, Jimmy, and the other half of the crew, was sitting at that moment in a simple camp deep in the bush, surrounded by thorn bushes, grass, and the cooing of Namaqua doves as the shadows grew longer. The day had been a fairly good one, as far as catching dangerous beasts went. With the help of experienced locals, they'd actually managed to drive a black rhino into a sturdily constructed stockade of thick logs built the day before. When the door had been hastily shut, several rags soaked with chloroform had gone onto the anti-social creature's horn and face, knocking him out. After that, it was just a matter of using a system of pulleys, slings, and ropes to move the heavy rhino to a cast-iron cage.

Later in the day, they'd found the African snake everyone feared, a black mamba, ten feet of swift, elegant gray death. Colin, an experienced British colonial who they'd hooked up with, had thrown his shirt at the mamba, enveloping its head and preventing it from striking as he used a forked stick to pin it down. With Hayes holding a bag, Colin grabbed the lethal black mamba behind the head and shoved it inside in one fluid motion.

Afterwards, they'd seen a puff adder basking on a dirt path, looking so much like just another large stick. Although the puff adder is a pretty deadly snake too, being a fat and slow-moving animal it was comparatively easier for Colin to grab behind the head and shove in another bag.

Now Englehorn was telling Colin, in his thick German accent, as the sun began to set, about a very harrowing escape he'd had in Zululand with an Egyptian cobra. "Mein Gott, you wouldn't believe how huge this cobra was Colin. He was as long as I am tall, with beautiful dark bands." Pausing, he added, "But he was nothing of the sort when he had me up against the wall."

"Two meters, you say? Yes, that's sure one bloody big cobra indeed," an astonished Colin replied in his British accent. "I've caught plenty of Egyptian cobras in my time as a snake man, but not very many like that one. But do tell me how that dreadful situation played itself out."

"Well," Englehorn reminisced, "some local villagers found that beast one night in their chicken coop. He'd clearly gone there for a good dinner and was actually eating a pullet when the people arrived."

"I suppose they wanted to bash its head in for that," Colin mulled.

" _Ja_. But the headman arrived then, and when he saw the size of the thing he ordered them to leave it. And no matter how you may feel about what he says—" "The headman's word is as good as law," Colin finished.

"Absolutely," Englehorn replied, nodding. "Anyway, he told the men that a cobra this big would be a real prize for the animal dealers, and they could probably get at least twenty shillings for it. So one man grabbed it by the tail, dropped it into an old orange crate, and the snake was a captive."

"So then how did it get into your thick old hands?" Colin inquired.

Englehorn grunted in mock indignation, and then went on with his story. "They got up the next day and carried the crate to the nearest town, about a day's walk away. When they got there, we were by chance in the same town, looking over some zebras that a group of men had captured by chasing them into a corral.

We purchased the ones that we thought were the most handsome, and took them back in their cages. As we got back to the compound where we were storing all the animals, one of the servants came to us and said that there were some men nearby trying to sell what they said was the largest cobra ever found in the bush."

"Many of those things that they claim about the creatures they have are total misrepresentations through," Colin interjected, "and I know that all too well. Bloody deceitful prats. "

"I know that too," Englehorn said as he nodded in agreement, "and Mein Gott, it is so infuriating when you find that they've just been leading you on. But sometimes, once in a while, they _are _right, and I felt it could be to my gain to at least inspect their catch. When I looked through the crate's slats and saw that great cobra, I knew it was a prize animal, one that any zoo would kill for.

So I gave the headman thirty shillings for that cobra, and even though his friends would split it with him when they got back, the greedy fools had to complain and curse me until I gave the three of them four shillings each to shut them up. Then I put the crate under my arm and presented it to the crew."

"What did they think of it?" Colin asked.

"Except for Lumpy, -he is terrified of snakes-all the others congratulated me on my magnificent find, and called me a master bargainer. Of course," Englehorn slyly added, "when you are the captain, no one ever thinks that you can ever do any wrong, and every action is met with approval for some reason."

Colin laughed in understanding, then prodded, "But Capitan, how did that devil snake get out of his box? And what happened to you when it did?"

"I'm getting to that now," the captain responded. "When we returned to the old house we'd been staying at during that time, we unloaded the zebras and put them into a makeshift paddock. Then I decided to leave my crew and check on the smaller animals. I'd seen that the box was starting to rot too, and wanted to put that cobra in one of the glass-topped snake cages right away.

We kept them in a nearby shed during that time, with mongooses, duikers, parrots, monitor lizards, hawks, porcupines, and of course snakes in smaller cages. As I appraised them, one of the Zulu boys came in with the orange crate on his head, with a friend beside him."

"But," pointed Englehorn, blue eyes growing distant, "that crate's bottom was rotten, and the boy tripped over something. Suddenly it dropped out, and the cobra landed belly up right in front of me. You should've seen both boys. They ran out of there like a whole pride of lions was after them."

"Why didn't you run too?" Colin said.

"I wanted to, but I couldn't," Englehorn replied simply. "I was very close to the back and trapped between a stack of cages and a wall. The cobra righted himself, then immediately flared his hood and looked at me. I backed up maybe a meter and a half, and then collided with the wall. As I did, the snake struck, and missed my leg by this much," he said, holding his thumb and forefinger parallel to each other."

Pausing, Englehorn went on with a solemn voice, "I am a strong man, and my crew can attest that I fear no person or creature. Once in a fistfight, I punched a man so hard that his jaw didn't break-it shattered. And when a leopard in India attacked a local woman standing near me one night, I saved her by choking the cat to death with my bare hands."

Colin gave a whistle of total amazement and awe.

"But I have no shame in saying that I was scared then Colin, very scared. It was an agony of terror. I've seen with my own eyes and heard about what happens to animals and people who die of cobra bite, and for once I felt sick with horror. And the snake was just coldly looking back with its soulless eyes. As a gifted snake-catcher, no doubt you've seen that look at close range yourself."

"Yes," Colin answered quietly, "never in a dreadful mess quite like that, but still far too many times, and it makes your skin crawl. It's like looking down the barrel of a Colt pistol."

"Agreed," was the captain's response. " We looked at each other some more. I didn't want to die this way. It isn't my notion of a decent, honorable death. If the Fates say I must die in a violent fashion, I'd rather be killed by a beast of prey or fighting against another man, and quickly. I knew that I had no knife, no pistol. There was nothing within reach that I could use as a club, or even just to push the snake away."

"When I was in the Dodoma district once," Colin sympathetically replied, "I caught a three-foot Egyptian cobra, and got a fang in a finger. By the grace of God I lived, but the next four days were an agony. Felt like my body was literally going haywire."

"And this one was twice as big," Englehorn added. "The cobra was getting ready to strike again, tensing up and gauging the distance. I knew that this time he wouldn't miss. By then I wasn't scared at all, or resigned, or angry. I just felt numb in head and body. Perhaps my compatriot Freud can explain why it was so," trying to add a bit of humor.

"Once again, am I correct in assuming that numb feeling isn't something you are very accustomed to?" Colin queried.

" _Ja. _That goes without words," Englehorn stated. "How I was going to meet that snake I didn't know. Suddenly, I did something in my defense. I don't think I even thought. As the cobra struck, I took off my shirt in one motion, held it in front of me, then jumped at the snake, landing right on top of it. Now the cobra was under me, and I could feel it twisting like an eel under my body. Every time it twisted, I pressed harder, hoping it wouldn't be able to bite me.

I shrieked like a man being tortured for the boys to come help. Meanwhile, the cobra kept on squirming. I was desperate, keeping on the pressure with my body, cursing the cement floor in my mother tongue for not having handholds that I could grab and use to bear down harder. You try to dig your fingers into a cement floor, and you'll know the state I was in at that moment."

"Then," said Englehorn, "part of that demon snake's body got loose and began slapping me in the hip. In my fear, I honestly thought that that part was the head. Every time I felt it, I thought I'd gotten a bite. As I said, I know what happens to people after a cobra bite, and I quickly developed all the symptoms, my mind tricking me into being half-blind, feeling terribly thirsty, having trouble breathing, having locked and twitching muscles, and all the others."

"Dear, dear God," Colin said.

"How does that saying you Englishmen have go?" Englehorn questioned. "A coward dies a thousand deaths, but a brave man only one? I am brave indeed, but during the next few minutes, I died a dozen times."

"But my screams were heard. One of the Zulu boys appeared, and he said that the white man was mistaken. That was the snake's long tail I was feeling, that was whipping me. Yes, it was the tail. The head was still under my chest. Couldn't I feel it? If the white man was so intelligent, surely they should all be able to know a snake's tail from its head?"

"I bet it was one bloody heap of relief to hear that," Colin said.

"Oh Gott, yes. My hysteria vanished, I was once again a Capitan, and I no longer felt the tail biting me. I felt like a _nincompoop_, the world's greatest _Dummer_. But I ordered the boy to slip his hand under my chest and wad the shirt around the head. With my weight on top, it wouldn't be able to strike. It was a delicate thing, but it could be done. I'd slowly get up and he'd twist it around the mouth.

But that coward boy backed out on me," Englehorn said, snarling at the memory. "He wanted to help the white man, but even my threats to personally throw him to the local _Wessiehais _did nothing to stop him."

"The white sharks?" Colin said in surprise. "Well, definitely proved that you were serious at least, and I'd probably have done the same thing."

Nodding, Englehorn continued, "I started yelling again, and this time one of the Shagaan boys showed up. He was willing. And smart. When I cautiously got up a bit, but not enough for the cobra to strike, he slid his hand underneath my chest and grabbed the snake behind the head. As I slowly raised myself from the floor even more, he began to quickly twist my shirt over the cobra's head, face, and neck until it was no longer a danger."

"And less then ten minutes later," the Captain concluded, "the Egyptian cobra that had almost managed to kill me was dropped into his new, bigger box. When my crew heard about it, they were just as horrified as I'd been at the time, and some members even wept in their upset state. But that soon gave way to great happiness and thanksgiving that I was still alive and safe. I never ceased for a moment to be grateful to the noble Shagaan boy who came to my aid when the Zulu one walked out on me. Over the next few weeks," Enlgehorn said grimly, "that Zulu boy got several cuffings that he'll never forget. And I was the first one to start him out.

As for the Shagaan boy, you'd think I'd given him ten bars of pure gold plus a million marks when he received the amethyst ring and wristwatch I bought him in Durban. I also offered him money, but he refused, saying that the watch and ring were payment enough, not to mention just doing something that was upright and good. He even got to go on the ship for a few days before returning home, and loved every minute of it. Wherever he is, I wish the _kinder _well," Englehorn ended.

Colin just looked at the Captain for a moment, brown eyes wide in amazement. Then, mouth open he exclaimed, "What a bloody incredible story Mr. Englehorn. You were very damn lucky and very good at keeping your head in that hellish situation too. And I'm glad you still got your cobra safely to the zoo when the day was done. Icing on the cake and all that."

During this time, the sun had almost completely set. Now, seeing the last of the orange orb going down, Englehorn said offhandedly, "Yes, I know to my bones I was. Now if you'll excuse me, we all need to get back to our work of trapping. This is when the predators come out."

"I understand, it shan't do to arrive late for a good sporting chance at them now would it?" Colin said, rising from the camp chair. "But I think it would be advisable to have a good feed off of that impala first."

"You're certainly right," Englehorn said, walking with Colin to a nice antelope dinner. Hayes had decided that it would be a good thing to have some fresh meat around that day after they'd secured the massive rhino, and so went into the bush toting a Winchester rifle, with his young companion Jimmy in tow. Hayes didn't trust him with guns, but did need his muscle to help him if he did shoot game, and even more importantly an extra set of eyes to look out for lions, buffalo, and other dangers. And Jimmy's eyes were some of the best on the Venture.

About three-quarters of an hour after they'd left, Englehorn had heard a shot in the distance, than another one a minute or two later. Knowing that his first mate could handle any animal he encountered perfectly fine, he'd ignored it, idly wondering what the black man and youth would be hauling back.

An hour and a half later, Jimmy and Hayes returned, each bearing a nice impala stag on their back, lashed to a shoulder pole. The impala were both dressed out and butchered, then it was time for cooking. Even though Lumpy was back at the Venture, a good number of the crew still knew at least some things about how to cook a savory meat dinner, and had gotten to work, providing Englehorn and Colin with some time for a chat.

Dinner was startlingly good that evening. One of the sailors, an Irishman named Tall Al, served in Lumpy's role, passing out some of the best food they'd had in weeks. There was impala liver with eggs, which Colin and Jimmy both agreed was "to die for," spiced roast impala with boiled rice soaked in honey water, and impala tenderloin, so good that two sailors nearly fought each other for it.

All the meat was flavored just right and not too tough at all. Like sailors everywhere, the Venture's men were big eaters. But even they couldn't consume a whole pair of antelope in a sitting, and the two impala stags would feed them for at least two days.

Jimmy couldn't help but notice however, that as Mr. Hayes sat across the table by Englehorn's side, he'd occasionally talk softly in the captain's ear, making quick, but obvious, glances in the youth's direction. For his part, Englehorn would nod, look doubtful, or seem to be thinking hard, also briefly locking eyes with Jimmy.

For the most part, Jimmy was caught up in his wonderful meal of wild game, and feeling pride at how he'd helped Mr. Hayes lug one of the heavy stags all the way back to camp, cleaning it right there alongside his mentor. But their talking made him nervous as dinner continued. Hayes and Captain didn't look mad, but had he done something Mr. Hayes didn't approve of somewhere along the line today?

Frantically going over all his actions, he couldn't come up with any major transgressions. He hadn't begged to use the rifle too much; he'd kept absolutely still and quiet while Mr. Hayes was waiting for that first impala to come closer and stalking the second, he'd done what he was told while driving the rhino, he'd kept watch for dangerous animals that might be hunting them, he'd stolen Colin's copy of Moby-Dick but had given it back when confronted, and had _always_ obeyed the Capitan's orders-for today at least.

No, he didn't see or know that he'd done any wrong. He just hoped it was good things Mr. Hayes was saying to Englehorn. After dinner, he'd ask his first mate about all it, and he knew that he could usually expect an honest answer.

When everyone had stuffed themselves, it was time to get back to business. With Englehorn's permission, five of the men went away from the camp in a northeast direction with a large cage, seeing if that big black-maned lion a herdsman had reported two days ago wasn't in their pit trap. Getting a drink, Jimmy wiped his lips off with the back of his hand, walked a few yards-and came across Mr. Hayes.

In his solemn, deep voice, Hayes said as he raised his hand, "Yes Jimmy, I know you're looking for me, and I think I know why." Once more, his intuition was right on the mark.

"I saw you talking to Mister Englehorn at dinner a lot and looking at me. Did I do something wrong? I said I was sorry about swiping Colin's book and he forgave me, remember? He'll even let me read it tomorrow morning."

"No Jimmy, you're alright. The reason I was talking with him was because it's clear that you've learned a lot during your time with us about how to capture and handle wild animals. You were a big help today with the rhino you know."

"Aw, thanks Mister Hayes, but it wasn't that much."

"Yes it was Jimmy," Mister Hayes responded. "There was a time when you wouldn't even touch a caged rhino, much less capture a wild one. But I know there's something you haven't done yet in your time as one of us. I know," he said, seeing the sudden strange look on Jimmy's face, "something that both thrills and yet terrifies you at the prospect."

_Oh Jesus, _Jimmy thought, _he's going to announce it, I knew this day would come but not so damn soon! I might as well start shaking now._

"Jimmy," the first mate said bluntly, "Captain Englehorn and I have agreed that it's time you caught your first big carnivore."

"Not yet, Mister Hayes," a shocked Jimmy pleaded. "I don't want to get hurt or torn to pieces. Please!"

Hayes sighed. "Jimmy, you've seen how we handle and catch those animals many times before. If you don't lose your head, act when you should, and remember the procedure, you'll be fine."

"And always remember," Hayes said, pointed to his head, "that even if you feel something is wrong, you have something that that animal doesn't have. It may have teeth and brute strength, but you can reason and think your way out of danger. Besides, the animals we're after aren't all that difficult to trap, and nowhere as dangerous as a lion or leopard. You still don't want to get bitten though."

"What are they?" Jimmy asked, a mixture of curiosity and suspicion in his voice. If it wasn't a big cat according to Mister Hayes, how bad could these beasts really be?

"Hyenas."

No, it was even worse.

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Ah, so Jimmy's about to take a big new step whether he likes it or not! How will he and Hayes fare when they meet Mrs. Stink in the African bush? Tune in next time for the thrilling conclusion! Also, as someone new to fanfics, reviews are always welcomed. 


	2. Chapter 2

looks around for a while, listens to crickets chirping Huh, I thought people would be all over a Jimmy and Englehorn-based fic. I even had a random shirtless scene with Englehorn in the first chapter for the fan girls. Oh well.

**Maran Zelde: **Thanks Maran! You're an extremely competent writer yourself, so I'm honored that you think of me as such. And yes, you won't be sorry about watching the 2005 King Kong. It'll make everything clear at any rate.

**Throwaway Angel: **Yes, they are letting Jimmy catch a hyena. How will it play out? I guess you'll have to read this final chapter. :)

I also wanted to say, since this fic takes place in what is now Tanzania, I've used some Swahili words here. Kazi means work, while bwana is the term for white man. Fisi is the Swahili word for hyena, while fisi kali means "angry hyena."

As always, please review!

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There was something about walking through the African bush—at night—dragging half an impala carcass, that was just slightly unnerving, and Jimmy felt it acutely as he and Hayes walked through the mixture of red oat grass and bushy staghorn acacias. Right behind them walked two local Swahili men, Moro and his uncle Hilali, Moro acting as gunbearer in case they suddenly encountered any dangerous predators, while Hilali held two long, thick poles over one shoulder and two large rope nets slung over the other. In a large pouch at his waist, Hayes held the rest of the necessary capture supplies, a long wire snare, a bunch of rags, and a full bottle of chloroform.

For his part, Jimmy held out a copper-sheathed flashlight in front of them with one hand while holding onto one of the impala's horns with the other. During cleaning, all the large muscles of the shoulders and lower neck had been removed for their own consumption, and Jimmy had wondered for a bit if there would even be enough left over to interest the hyenas. But Mister Hayes had assured him that there was, reminding him that hyenas loved the bones every bit as much as the meat. That made Jimmy think back even further to when Hayes had told him once that a hyena's jaws were so strong that they could crunch up a horse's bones just like they were lollipops.

And this was the carnivore that he was going to capture tonight. Wonderful indeed. He must've let his fear start to get to him then, for Mister Hayes suddenly said, not at all unkindly, "It's alright Jimmy. Just take this night one step at a time and play your cards right. The first time is always the hardest, then it gets easier." Moro chimed in, "Not to worry, young _bwana_. Old _fisi _isn't as terrible as he may seem."

_But what if he is?_ Jimmy silently thought. _With my luck, the first hyena we see will instantly try to tear out my throat. I'll bet my right hand on it._

As the four men kept walking, Jimmy's flashlight beam caught the glowing eyes of a whole host of animals. There were the red eyes of bush babies, looking like Christmas tree lights as they bounced around in the branches. Once they came open a whole herd of wildebeest, yellow eyes crazily bucking and bobbing as the herd wheeled and thundered away. The pea-green ones of springhares could be seen as the huge rodents hopped through the grass, and once the men came across a mother porcupine and her baby as they grazed. But thankfully, they didn't see any eyeshine that was high and close together-the sign of a lion or other big predator.

After dragging the half-impala about four miles from the camp, Hayes told the group, "We can stop now. This is as good a place as any." Relived and even more frightened at the same time, Jimmy let go of the impala and lifted up his blue sailor's cap, running a hand through his blond hair. The gesture involuntarily made him think of how easily a hyena could crack his skull in its jaws like an egg, and he had to gently bite his lip to calm down again.

His attention was caught again by Mr. Hayes, who commanded, "Leave the bait right there Jimmy. Let's make a blind now." Although Hayes wouldn't let him handle or shoot firearms of any sort, the youth did keep a knife in his belt, if only for protection when off the Venture, and he used it now to assist a hatchet-wielding Hayes, Moro, and Hilali in setting up a thick screen of branches and brush between two wild olive trees.

Jimmy was certainly no slacker, but this time he was actually very grateful to be doing hard labor, or _kazi _as the Africans called it. It kept his mind focused, unable to wander off into the terrifying possibilities of what he would be doing next.

But all too soon, the blind was complete, and the fear of his impending first predator capture hit Jimmy again like a train. Appraising the situation, Mr. Hayes turned to Jimmy and told him about the capture plan. "Jimmy, you see that stone in front of us? "

"Yes Mister Hayes, I sure do."

"Good. Now I'll put the base of the snare around it while the loop will be close to the bait. When a hyena comes, you'll wait until it steps in that loop. When it does, it'll be caught and trapped. Then, I'll give you a rag soaked with chloroform and you'll rush forward to throw that on the hyena's head. It should be senseless within seconds." _Should be. _

"Remember Jimmy," said Hayes in a much quieter but unbending voice, looking into his young admirer's blue eyes, "It's perfectly okay to be scared. But the only way you can get hurt is if you panic or lose your nerve to begin with. Also, there's no need to inflate yourself or try to impress us. Only be brave if you have to be. Is that clear?"

"As a diamond sir," Jimmy answered meekly.

"I know you'll do just fine," Hayes gently said.

With that, all four men got behind the blind, peering through the brush at the bait just a few dozen yards away. In the East African night, the sounds of nature soon replaced the noises of men. Treefrogs croaked out love songs. Owls hooted, while crickets and katydids shrilled from branches and the ground. Somewhere fairly far away, a lion roared, giving out deep, thunderous groans. Jackals gave out screaming, skirling barks. And of course-Jimmy could hear them all too well-were the still distant but always inescapable whoops and cackling giggles of hyenas.

Sometimes the sheer waiting for a feared event to take place is every bit as harrowing as when it actually happens, or oftentimes even more so, and Jimmy tried not to let it get under his skin too deeply. Trying hard to distract himself, he just listened for a while to the chirping, groaning, and peeping of the frogs, a sound that he'd always enjoyed hearing, no matter which far-flung corner of the globe he was currently located at.

Besides, he knew from experience that frogs always went silent when predators were around, so as long as they were calling, it was reassuring. _I wonder if hyenas eat frogs?_ Jimmy thought, suddenly wanting to slap himself for conjuring up the one thing he was trying _not_ to dwell on right now. _You idiot._

"Sounds like ten thousand boys running a stick down an endless picket fence, doesn't it Jimmy?" Hayes softly said in reference to the frogs, a rare smile curving the first mate's lips. Jimmy chuckled, for it kind of did, responding with "You bet, Mr. Hayes."

Silence ruled between all four again, and to keep himself from falling victim to his fear, Jimmy began to hum a familiar tune very softly.

I went to the animal fair 

_The birds and beasts were there_

_The big baboon, by the light of the moon_

_Was combing her auburn hair._

_Definitely some good moonlight for a lady to dress her hair by tonight,_ Jimmy thought, looking up at the waxing silver disc above him, occasionally obscured by scudding clouds. Somehow, he was able to distract himself and keep the crushing fear in check.

For maybe forty minutes or so-Jimmy couldn't tell-the four sat behind the scrub blind, listening to the sounds of the African bush and waiting for a shambling brown-gray shape to show up. Then a silver-backed jackal cautiously came into view, his mate close behind. Only about the size of a large fox, both animals began quickly tearing at the meat, bolting down small chunks.

"They're eating our bait. Should we drive them away Mr. Hayes?" Jimmy queried.

Hayes shook his head. "Jackals and hyenas are two of a kind Jimmy. When you see one, the other will show up shortly."

And indeed, now some of the whoops and laughing were coming steadily closer. _Like something worthy of hell's glee club,_ Jimmy thought apprehensively. _Any moment now. _The calls got closer and closer and closer. Now, as if the needle had suddenly been lifted from a phonograph record, the calls of the cicadas, crickets, and frogs just stopped completely dead. Their silence was as shocking as a scream.

Not surprisingly, Jimmy wanted so badly to just run away as fast as he could, but managed to keep looking at the snare and keep sitting down. The horrid whooping and satanic laughter was almost on top of them now.

Then, with an amazing swiftness, a huge female hyena, her body rocking up and down as she ran, came into view. She had to weigh at least as much as Jimmy, maybe 160 pounds. She looked around briefly, and her intense brown eyes gave him a chill. Several other hyenas were shambling out of the night now, crazily whooping. Even the way the animals loped along was disturbing.

Not sensing any danger, the first hyena, probably the leader, lowered her massive head and immediately started tearing at the impala's neck. The other hyenas, maybe five or six in all, joined her, and they fell upon the carcass. Then it was lost to view as the spotted hyenas, Africa's chuckling hunters, the hunchbacked gangsters of the plains, eaters of carrion and killers of the antelope, enveloped the bait in a scrum of spotted gray bodies.

They snapped bones like twigs in their massive jaws, fought and snarled among themselves, and raised their heads to bolt down bites of ragged flesh, their ears and large eyes making them look like ugly teddy bears. The two jackals wisely gave the hyenas their space. And all the time, that ear-splitting, bloodcurdling, blasted, make-you-want-to-wet-yourself noise!

It was an insane woman being slowly sawed in half while being roasted alive at the same time. It was the sounds of demons sadistically celebrating as they tortured the damned in hell. It was the closest thing to what the call of an actual werewolf would be, the laugh of the most terrible witch.

All of a sudden, like it was some inevitable climax to the hyena's profane calling, there was a loud, high-pitched scream of terror, and Hayes switched on the flashlight, motioning to Jimmy. As the other hyenas ran in fear, their eyes ignited a glowing yellow from the flashlight's beam, one hyena, the first that had arrived, screamed and thrashed in the copper-wire snare, caught by a hind leg.

There was a wet sound, as Hayes opened the big brown bottle of chloroform and gently poured some onto a yellowish rag. Then he held the dripping cloth out to Jimmy. For a second, time seemed to stop, and Jimmy's heart seemed to almost come out of his chest with terror.

_Oh blessed Mary and Jesus,_ he thought, _here we go. _

He could take the rag and do his job. He could flat-out refuse and live with the humiliation. He could take the rag to appease Mr. Hayes, then fling it away before reaching the hyena.

The African savannah and the partly moonlit night seemed to swirl crazily about him. Jimmy stole a quick glance over his shoulder at the hyena. Even as she thrashed and tried to chew through the thick wire snare, her glowing eyes seemed to be mocking him, saying _Which one, which one, which ooonnnnnnneeeeee! What'cha going do, lily-hearted kid?_

He looked back equally quickly at Mr. Hayes' brown eyes. No thoughts came to Jimmy's mind this time, just one concept. _Faith._

Jimmy moved then, and his turn of speed was too quick to follow.

As he ran right for the big hyena, he was totally operating on adrenaline now. Seeing his rushing man-form coming at her, the hyena ran as far as the snare would allow, quickly being jerked off her feet. With nowhere to go, the hyena whipped around and crouched in a defensive posture, ears laid back and teeth bared in a snarling gape.

Fierce as she looked, this gave Jimmy the perfect chance to throw the rag onto her muzzle-until the hyena did something unexpected. Suddenly, the hyena leapt out of her defensive stance and right at him, a tan-yellow rocket of muscle and ivory teeth. Taken aback, a horrified Jimmy had no time to run as the carnivore barreled into his body, knocking him to the ground. He forgot about reason. He forgot about the rag he'd had, soaked with the stuff of dreams.

She tried to rip into his belly with those descending fangs. Desperately, he punched the hyena in the head as hard as he could. Screaming in surprise and pain, the hyena backed off for a second, long enough for Jimmy to sit up. Then she bored back in again.

This time Jimmy grabbed the predator by the ears, shoving up into the animal's lower jaw at the same time with his knee. He could smell the hyena's horribly rank breath, and felt an indescribable chill come over him as he looked into her eyes.

_Hello there Jezebel, _he crazily thought. _Was Lucifer just finally way too hard on you and hell too hot for your liking after old Elijah had you take that tumble? _

Then there was a shout. "Jimmy!" The hyena backed off again, and there was a wet object crumpled in his hand. He knew what it was, and threw it over the creature's muzzle.

As he stood back up, Jimmy watched the hyena briefly paw at her face, shake her head, and thrash around. Then she suddenly collapsed, kicked several times, and her grating screams of distress were cut off seconds before she went limp. The chloroform had done its job.

Hilali went and removed the snare from the hyena's leg, but no one else moved. Jimmy just hyperventilated for a couple minutes, shaking all over as Hayes silently stood by him, his hand on the boy's shoulder.

Finally, Jimmy spoke. "Thanks Mr. Hayes for helping me. That beast would've hurt me bad if it wasn't for you."

"No need Jimmy," Hayes quietly said. "I'd have willingly done that even if it had been a lion. We look out for each other around here."

All Jimmy could do was smile under his blue cap. Sometimes though, in the face of such loyalty and proof of friendship, words didn't need to be spoken.

The cool, intellectual part of his brain told him that more work had to be done now that the hyena was safely drugged. Turning back to Hayes, he stated, "Well Mr. Hayes, you've told me before that a cornered animal is a dangerous animal, and now I see that you certainly weren't joking," nervously laughing to deal with his frightening encounter. "But now what do we do with the hyena?"

Hayes grinned, then answered, "Well Jimmy, let's just carry it behind the blind for now. Remember, Mills ordered four hyenas for his menagerie, so it would be nice if we could fill half the order tonight."

_Fine and dandy, _Jimmy sarcastically thought, _I get to go through this blasted experience again soon._ There was a question he had to ask first through, both to stall and satisfy his curiosity. "But Mr. Hayes, Mills asked for two female and two male hyenas. Which one is this exactly? It's pretty difficult when their-parts-are so similar."

Although he couldn't have known that it was due to huge levels of male hormones, Jimmy did know that female hyenas had mock phalluses, making it frustratingly difficult to tell the sex of one they'd trapped. He remembered vividly and with amusement how one supposed "male" being shipped on the Venture had one day given birth to two cubs!

Not surprisingly, many, many people on the street believed-as he once had-that the spotted hyena was a hermaphrodite, part male and part female. Some even thought that if you put two male or two female hyenas in a cage, one would become the opposite sex so they could mate. Nowadays though, he was pretty confident that there were guys and girls, and that the hyenas knew which one they were perfectly well.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hayes had been looking at the animal's belly. "You can't always say for sure with these things Jimmy, but I see teats on this one. So it's almost certainly a female. But let's get her behind the blind. I'll pick her up by the back legs, while you take the front ones, and we'll put her in the net."

Knowing what they meant to do, Moro had come over with one of the nets, opening it up on the ground. It wasn't far to move the hyena, and once she was in the net, Mr. Hayes slung it over his shoulders and carried it to the blind, while Moro helped support the body of their drugged prisoner.

Hyenas might be ugly, but they are very wise, smart creatures, and everyone knew that it was unlikely the same animals would come back after one of their companions had just been caught. They'd probably have to wait another long while for some more to come. Just in case, Hilali attached the snare to a different place, a sapling growing near the now well-chewed impala frame.

Still, Jimmy was aware that they'd probably have to either wait an even longer time now or even give up and try again next night. So it was very surprising then, when only ten minutes after they'd settled down, a solitary hyena very apprehensively came out of the night. It was a yearling animal, silver-gray with heavy black spotting, and it whooped very softly and quietly, as if it was trying to find someone nearby. It stepped forward, then backpedaled, lightly cackling in agitation. Doing this again and again, the nervous yearling approached the half-eaten bait, and then began cautiously tearing at the flesh and cracking bones, whooping now and again as it fed, sometimes pausing to sniff the ground intently.

Suddenly Jimmy just knew somehow, the realization washing over him like a rouge wave. This yearling wasn't here only to eat. It was here because its mother had just disappeared at this spot, and it didn't know where she was. They'd captured the young hyena's mother.

As nasty and uncouth as hyenas were, he couldn't help suddenly feeling pity for the young animal. It didn't even have a body or blood to indicate what had happened to its mom, and so no way of understanding what had happened to her. And if they didn't catch the animal, it'd be wondering for the rest of its life, probably thinking that mother was either dead or worse, didn't want to know it anymore.

Now, unlike before, Jimmy was actually _hoping _that they'd catch the poor beast, so it could be with its mother again and not have to always wonder. As he watched in anticipation, the young hyena continued to eat, cracking up bones in those powerful jaws, giving its inquiring whoops now and again to the night, and hopefully sniffing the air.

Then, it stepped right in the snare, which instantly tightened around its foreleg. As its mother had done, the yearling screamed in terror, thrashing around and tugging backward for all it was worth.

Again, there was a sound of liquid pouring, and Mr. Hayes offered the young man another chemical-laced rag. Jimmy took it, but hesitated again. Would the hyena try to attack him like its mother had? Maybe it wouldn't if he acted even quicker than before, Jimmy optimistically thought.

When Jimmy showed himself, the young hyena, eyes like yellow coals, began screaming even louder. It too, tried to move away as far as the snare would allow. But instead of lashing out as he ran up to it, this hyena just lowered its head and cowered in surrender.

The soaked rag was thrown accurately and swiftly onto the animal's muzzle. Now it started struggling, but very soon it's kicking and frightened giggling were stilled by the chloroform as well. Soon, the yearling hyena was lying in the second net next to its mother.

If anything, it was even more difficult to tell the gender of yearling hyenas apart, but after giving the animal a once-over, Mr. Hayes tentatively decided that it was a male. They'd caught the two animals tonight that they'd wanted, and it was time to head back to camp with their captures.

There was not much time to talk. They needed to get both hyenas back to camp and into a secure cage as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, Jimmy could feel how proud, how satisfied Hayes was of him every time he looked at the first mate's figure.

Each net was tied up, with one of the long poles inserted through it near the top. Then, Hayes and Moro holding the ends of one pole, they put it on their collective shoulders, lifting the adult female hyena off the red oat grass. Jimmy and Hilali took up the second, which supported the net with the yearling. "You did very well _bwana _Jimmy," Hilali approvingly hissed. "I think you were very tough and very brave."

And looking at his mentor's back, Jimmy almost felt like crying, for he knew that Mr. Hayes felt the exact same way too.

In the African night, the nocturnal chorus fell silent once again as a lioness came to investigate what was left of the impala bait. Gliding up to it, she smelt the fresh acrid scent of her worst enemies, the hyenas. Her lips curled in a contemptuous snarl, and she scanned around with her tawny ears and sharp cat eyes. Even more disturbing, she could smell man-scent, sweat, metal, glass,-and a very bitter, sharp aroma, like nothing she'd ever come across before.

Crouching instinctively and nervously snarling, the lioness carefully listened, ready to run or charge while focusing on every inch of her surroundings. As terribly unnerving as it was, the freshest man-scent seemed to be in a direction going away from her. That was reassuring, and there was no sound or smell of hyenas nearby either. So, ears cocked for unfamiliar sounds, she laid her golden form down by the worked over bait and peacefully finished it off.

At the same time, Jimmy and Hilali were putting the yearling hyena in a steel cage with its still drugged mother. They were starting to twitch and flutter their eyelids though, so it wouldn't be long before both animals unsteadily awoke, and were reunited.

It had been a good evening all around for the Venture's men and their native assistants. As they'd hoped for, the group of five men who'd left before Jimmy and Hayes had found that hulking male lion in their pit trap, and the quintet had easily lifted him out with ropes after drugging the majestic cat, putting him in the wheeled cage for transport back.

Colin had found another puff adder and a gorgeous, almost fluorescent green mamba, as well as a nice Egyptian cobra, a delicious irony that the Captain was able to appreciate. "As long as I'm not trapped in another shed or my tent with it, I guess that snake is all right," Englehorn wryly told the snake-catcher.

Using an enormous metal box trap baited with a dead rooster that was half sunk in a nearby stream, some of the men had captured a twelve-foot Nile crocodile, which pummeled the sides of the thick wire with its bony head in anger and frustration.

But as Jimmy left the newly caged animals and rejoined the rest of the men in camp, he was the man of the day, so to speak. Englehorn addressed him first. Feeling in high spirits after such a successful night, he'd decided to treat himself to one of his beloved cigars, talking to Jimmy between drags.

"Ah, there's our new hyena-catcher! How did the whole affair go Jimmy?" Englehorn asked, taking another drag on the cigar and puffing out smoke.

"Didn't Mr. Hayes tell you everything already Skipper Englehorn?" a surprised Jimmy said.

"Only that you caught those two hyenas and subdued them yourself," Englehorn answered. "Now I'd like to be the first to hear every detail of your conquest."

So Jimmy told him everything, about the waiting, how scared he'd been thinking about what would happen when a hyena was finally snared, how that big female had been the first to arrive and then the feeding frenzy, how she'd lunged at him when he'd gone to drug her, and by an amazing coincidence, how they'd captured that hyena's own son shortly afterward.

All the while, his skipper watched, intently looking at Jimmy with those sharp blue eyes. He reacted pretty much as Jimmy thought he would to the story of the capture, showing real concern as he heard about how the adult hyena had almost savaged his youngest crewmember, nodding in agreement when Jimmy told him about how ugly and frightening the hyenas were, and giving a look of something like understanding on hearing about Jimmy's pity for the young hyena.

When he finished recounting the capture's events, he caught his breath and regarded his captain. Obviously, Englehorn was running the matter and his behavior during the time through his head again. Jimmy just hoped he'd get something positive from the man for all his pains. When Englehorn looked at Jimmy again, his reaction was positive, and yet utterly unexpected at the same time.

The skipper showed his white teeth, and then laughed. And he laughed some more, deep, coughing, full-bodied laughs.

Jimmy was totally taken aback. First of all, it was rare for Master Englehorn to express himself through real laughter at all, even when something was much too funny to ignore. But even more worrisome, what if Englehorn was laughing at _him_? Had he really been that much of a bumbler, ultimately looking totally silly as he'd gone about such a supposedly triumphant capture? That hyena had almost gutted him, damnit! How could one possibly be professional in a situation like that?

But before he could become too crestfallen, Englehorn stopped, telling him "Well done Jimmy! You faced a beast of prey for the first time and just came through with flying colors. I am extremely proud of you and pleased by your courage."

_So that's why you were laughing, _Jimmy thought. _Skipper is pleased with ME! _And he automatically beamed from ear to ear, feeling full of pride in a capture so well done.

Englehorn continued to praise him, still puffing on his cigar. "Truth be told, I was skeptical when Hayes told me that it was past time you caught your first meat-eater, and that a hyena would work very well for that purpose. I know how you feel about hyenas Jimmy, and I feel much the same way. Nasty chuckling demons," he said contemptuously.

"It was horrible when that hyena was attacking me Skipper," Jimmy said in a quiet, haunted voice.

"But you stood up to the brute and kept your head. That was very good, and I'd expect nothing less from one of my crewmen. You passed the test we gave you. An excellent job."

"You're very welcome," Jimmy shyly responded.

Taking note of the other crewmen gathering around, Englehorn took a draw on his cigar again, then told Jimmy, "There's no reason I should be the only one to hear your account though. I don't doubt that the others would deeply enjoy hearing it, if that's fine by you."

"It sure is Skipper," Jimmy eagerly said, full of pride and excitement from his captain's praises.

"Yes, I'd love to hear about the exploits of our intrepid hyena-catcher," an animated Colin said. "Besides, anything worth doing is worth doing twice-or at least reliving!"

So, sitting down by the fire, bashfulness and great pride both competing in his breast, Jimmy told the gathered assembly all about his first carnivore capture. For the next few days afterwards, the Swahili men would joyously sing an impromptu song around camp about how the brave young _bwana_ captured two _fisi kail_ single-handedly, and Jimmy would be given a wooden staff by the chief of Moro and Hilali's village to commemorate such a manly deed, which he reluctantly accepted and later kept in his cabin.

But even that honor wouldn't stay with the young man as deeply as something Mr. Hayes had told him as they talked before going to sleep.

"Mr. Hayes," Jimmy said, "I known everyone's proud of me for catching those two hyenas, and I am too, now that it's all over. But I was so terrified at the time, especially when I had to go out and face them to drug each one. I was shaking so hard, and frightened out of my mind. So I don't know where people are getting off calling me brave for doing that."

"I know you were terrified Jimmy, and I don't blame you at all," was Hayes' quiet answer. "It takes a lot to do something like that. But that's exactly what they mean. Even though you're scared stiff about something that you aim to do, you go and do it anyhow. That's bravery. Continue to be that way Jimmy-but do _not _think it gives you license to go looking for trouble-and you'll be just fine."

"Thanks Mr. Hayes," Jimmy fondly said. "And you know that big hyena? I think I've found a good name for her."

"Don't tell me you want to name such an uncouth beast like that Jimmy. And besides, you'll just grow too attached, then if—"

"I know Mr. Hayes, it sets me up for hurt. We've had this talk before, but I don't mind. Anyway, I think that that this name fits that she-hyena perfectly."

"What are we supposed to call her then?"

"Her cub I've named Silver Prince. But her name is Mrs. Stink."

"A very good choice," Hayes said as he gave an approving series of nods.

Then they fell asleep.

Ten days later… 

The hyena's cage, the first of four, gently came to rest on the Venture's deck. Trotting over, Jimmy looked into the nervous brown eyes of Mrs. Stink. After she'd come to understand that these humans had taken away her freedom, but weren't going to hurt her, she'd become surprisingly more sociable, never again behaving with the ferocity of that first night. Now meek and fairly biddable, she would respond well to show life, Jimmy thought.

Looking at her hunched form, instead of revulsion he felt intense pride. He'd gone up against a savage, intimidating carnivore, and conquered her, making the beast into his trophy. But this one was alive, and the whole world could see her. Even if the people that came to gaze upon their hunched forms never knew exactly who caught the spotted hyena and her yearling, it didn't change the fact that it was _his _accomplishment, his victory.

But best off all, he'd proved himself to Mr. Hayes and Mr. Englehorn, showing them how high his abilities and nerves could take him. And there was no reward better than that. As she was carted off down to the cargo hold, Mrs. Stink gave an especially vigorous laugh. Jimmy responded with one of his own, not one of excitement or fear, but of the purest joy.


End file.
